District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2023-09-05
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers, boaters, ATV riders, waterfowl hunters, and bear hunters. Violations encountered were transporting dressed fish, transport a loaded firearm, operating a watercraft without navigation lights, angling with extra lines, overlimit of walleyes, watercraft DUI and no license in possession.
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) continued field training with COC Sean Cannon. They attended a regional meeting, where they were updated on recent changes to state statutes. Time was also spent investigating complaints on Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area, working bear-baiting issues and working on Lake of the Woods. Violations encountered on Lake of the Woods included no fishing license in possession, no navigation lights, other equipment issues, illegal-length fish, overlimit of walleyes, and boat-registration issues. Huener also spent time working early teal hunting and opening bear hunting. Violations included transporting an untagged bear, early shooting, and using lead shells for waterfowl hunting.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working bear-hunting, angling and boating activity throughout this past week and the Labor Day holiday. Time was spent patrolling area recreational vehicle trails and handling calls of bears causing damage to crops. Violations encountered and addressed include bow/gunwale riding, no throwable device, and angling license violations.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls-West) continued to field train COC Carlson. Time was spent monitoring early goose-, bear-, and teal-hunting activities. Enforcement action for the week included no state or federal waterfowl stamp, no helmet on a juvenile ATV passenger, no ATV registration, and numerous bear-bait violations.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week enforcing recreational vehicle, migratory waterfowl, fishing, and boating regulations. Enforcement action was taken for hunting with an unplugged gun, hunting with lead ammunition in possession, overlimit of walleyes, use of an extra line, and transporting a loaded firearm in a boat. An arrest was made near the Northwest Angle for boating while intoxicated.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports working bear-baiting and hunting activity. Time was spent working a security detail at the Minnesota State Fair.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2023-09-05
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking bear and waterfowl hunters this past week. Time was also spent enforcing WMA-related laws. Anglers were contacted on area lakes.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) continued field training with CO Nick Bruesewitz. The officers spent the week patrolling Beltrami County lakes for angling and boating activity. Time was spent checking bear baits and early teal hunters.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent time working ATV and bear-hunting activity this past week. With the warm weather, not many bear hunters were seen but a good number of ATV riders were out. Teal and early goose season started off good for most hunters, as there seemed to be a good number of teal in the area. Other time was spent patrolling area lakes. Swedberg also assisted Becker County with a BWI on Little Detroit Lake.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working migratory waterfowl, black bear and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent working a security detail for the Minnesota State Fair.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week completing a background investigation and checking bear hunting, early teal, early goose, and fishing activity. Early teal hunters had good success, however multiple people were contacted for shooting too early and many other reports were received. All hunters are reminded to read the regulations prior to hunting to ensure you are following the laws. Early goose hunters had limited success as goose numbers in the area were lower than previous years. A pontoon was contacted at a public access that had zebra mussels on the sea legs and enforcement action was taken for transporting an invasive species. As pontoon owners remove their boats for the year, they are reminded to thoroughly inspect the sea legs for any zebra mussels prior to transporting. A permit can be obtained on the DNR website for those who wish to clean and decontaminate their watercraft at a different location other than the public access. Enforcement action was taken for taking teal before shooting hours, unplugged shotguns, no federal stamp, fishing without a license, and juveniles on ATVs without helmets.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for ATV, angling, and watercraft activity. He also worked with other officers on bear-baiting enforcement over the weekend. Fox also represented the DNR in a pistol competition with agencies from other states.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2023-09-05
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) reports working a busy holiday weekend to close out summer. The heat wave pushed hunters and anglers off their spots early with neither group reporting much success. Boat traffic was high on most lakes, but water safety compliance was also high. Additional time was spent working the Info Booth at the State Fair and assisting State Patrol with a pair of serious injury crashes.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) checked several bear baits in the area and worked WMAs and waterfowl production areas, with violations of vehicle use on them. A background investigation was finalized, and training was attended. Early goose and teal hunters were checked, and a very busy and hot holiday weekend resulted in much activity on area lakes. An invasive species check point was worked as well.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports checking early teal season hunters. He also continued to monitor angling activity in the area. Teal success varied amongst groups. He and other COs also conducted an AIS check station.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked early teal hunters, mourning dove hunters, boaters and anglers. Osborne received several complaints of people shooting up to 40 minutes early during the teal opener. Early teal hunters are reminded that shooting hours start at sunrise, not 30 minutes before.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) continued field training with COC Scholz. A high volume of boating activity was observed over the holiday weekend. A parent was cited for allowing a child to operate a jet ski alone on Lake Darling. Another jet-ski operator was arrested for boating while intoxicated on Lake Miltona. Operating a motorboat while intoxicated is illegal and will result in your arrest.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) reports her station was full of teal, goose, and dove hunters who saw success across the board over the weekend. She saw numerous birds in the bags despite the warm weather. There was lots of boating and angling activity with the holiday weekend. Various enforcement actions were taken.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the week focusing on angling and recreational vehicle enforcement. She attended a regional meeting and took phone calls from people with questions regarding the upcoming fall hunting seasons.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working early teal, goose, and fishing enforcement. Enforcement action taken included no federal duck stamp, unplugged shotgun, and various boating violations.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, boaters, and ATV operators. Additional time was spent checking dove, teal, and goose hunters. Hunter success around the area was low over the opening weekend, with hot weather being more conducive for boating and swimming.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2023-09-05
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked ATV, angling, boat and water, early teal/goose, and bear hunting opener. Cross also assisted at the Minnesota State Fair in the Info Booth answering people?s questions. Cross saw heavy traffic throughout the Labor Day weekend in the Park Rapids and Lake George area. Enforcement action was taken for bear hunting, angling, and boating violations.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) had a variety of activities to choose from with the opening of bear, early teal, and early goose seasons, along with the Labor Day weekend. A variety of ATV and boating violations were addressed. Forest trespass issues were also investigated.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) continued field training a new conservation officer. The officers patrolled Cass, Hubbard, and Crow Wing county lakes throughout the week for angling and boating activity. The officers worked an overlimit case on 11th Crow Wing Lake and found two individuals who were 67 sunfish over their limit. The officers also patrolled area state and national forest roads for ATV activity. Numerous violations were detected and addressed.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) checked angling and ATV activity. She also responded to a car accident. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) monitored early goose and teal hunting activity. Some duck hunters called their local CO to report an injured swan. The swan was brought to a wildlife rehabilitation center, where it was discovered that the swan had been shot in the back. ATV activity in the area was patrolled as well, and enforcement action was taken for allowing a juvenile ATV passenger to ride without a helmet.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) worked a very busy and hot holiday weekend. The boaters enjoyed the hot weather while others, like bear hunters, found conditions and success to be very difficult. Early teal and goose season hunters were also checked, with better success seen among the goose hunters. Anglers were having some success for perch. Enforcement action was taken for
Waterfowl-hunting, boating, angling, ATV, and OHM violations.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports checking early teal hunters, assisting other agencies and assisting with AIS checks. Enforcement action was taken for waterfowl violations related to the early teal season. K9 Jet was utilized to search for waterfowl taken illegally out of season.
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